While you were sleeping, innovation was licking its finger, sticking it in the air to determine which way the wind was blowing, then getting in its coracle and rowing the hell outta Bonnie's way.

1. Proof that the Thunderbird, that Native American creature that summons storms, is not into environmental causes. Ships connected to the Deepwater oil spill have been told to leave the site by the U.S. Coast Guard as Tropical Storm Bonnie powers up, including the rig that is drilling the relief well. The cap, however, is to stay in place. There are also reports that BP has been buying off scientific experts in order to aid its post-Deepwater litigation defense. The firm has, however, realized the error of its Photoshopping ways and has posted a Flickr set of the originals of its altered images.

2. On the heels of the announcement of its record Q2 results, Microsoft, whose new slogan is Be What's Next, said its hook-up with HP on the tablet front, which will run Windows 7, is to be an enterprise-only venture, with HP saving webOS 2.0 until later on this year.

3. Facebook has been shining a light on its future plans, with a new social gaming team, says CTO Bret Taylor. Also in the pipeline is a new communications channel system, but we're not really interested in that, are we, chums, what we want to know about is the LEGAL FIGHT! The social networking site says that the contract being waved around by Wotsit Ceglia is a forgery. The legal eagle representing Ceglia (almost typed Ceglery there, fans of crunch) says that claim is "hilarious."

4. Way-hey! Google's taking a leaf out of Apple's book and introducing curated playlists to its music content on YouTube. It's also hosting unsigned talent, showing the most popular videos and probably playing the spoons in the background on those unwatched Bonzo Doo Dah Dog Band videos. Look out for the one with the square head.

5. Finally, rumors abound that Disney is taking a step into the social gaming world with an acquisition of Playdom. For $600 million, the Mouse House will get itself a similarly acquisitive firm—earlier this month it gobbled up its seventh company—that will sit on the studio's games shelf alongside Tapulous.

My writing career has taken me all round the houses over the past decade and a half--from grumpy teens and hungover rock bands in the UK, where I was born, via celebrity interviews, health, tech and f…